At a council meeting on the 28th August 2007 the new Plymouth District Council passed a resolution that as a matter of policy all New Plymouth District Council controlled parks, playgrounds, sportsgrounds and walkways were declared smokefree.
The council undertook to include the Smokefree logo on signage as it is replaced and renewed, and the smokefree logo has since been added to appropriate pages of the website, advertising for council events and in material provided to external bookings.
On the same night Stratford District Douncil also adopted a Smokefree environment policy, making the district the first Smokefree district in New Zealand, as South Taranaki had been the first local government to adopt a Smokefree policy in 2005.
The approach to NPDC led by the Cancer Society of New Zealand, Taranaki Centre and supported by Toi Ora Healthy lifestyles and the National Heart Foundation also included a petition from the community that was launched in April to encourage a sustainable out come for World Smokefree Day on 31st May.
The move was strongly supported by the New Plymouth District Council Mayor, Peter Tennent who said, "What we are doing as a community is putting a line in the sand and saying what we believe is appropriate. What we are doing is saying it is inappropriate to smoke around our young people”.
Elaine Jamieson
Health Promotion and Education Advisor
Cancer Society of New Zealand Taranaki Centre
Tel: 06 757 8988
Email: elaine@taranakicancersociety.org.nz
Web: www.taranakicancersociety.org.nz